Tasmania's new Resources Minister on a steep learning curve

Two days after being sworn in as Tasmania's new Resources Minister Paul Harriss has admitted he has a lot to learn about the mining industry.

The Franklin MP has joined the Premier in the state's north-west to talk up the future of the industry with stakeholders.

Resources is the only Ministry the veteran MP will shoulder, unlike many of his colleagues who will juggle several portfolios.

When asked by journalists after the meeting if he knew which company runs the Rosebery mine, Mr Harriss could not name MMG.

The Minister says one of his Braddon colleagues is helping him come to grips with the sector.

"Adam Brooks has been right there through all of this journey in opposition and Brooksy has clearly been in touch with me at our very first parliamentary meeting and of course it's going to be a continuing learning curve for me," said Mr Harriss.

"As I said, there's a lot of work for me to do in terms of getting to grips with the detail of what's involved here."

Mr Brooks was overlooked for a Cabinet post

Mining bureaucrats Burnie-bound

The meeting of mining industry leaders also heard about plans to move the government's mining office to Burnie.

It means 40 positions at Mineral Resources Tasmania will be re-located from Hobart over four years.

The government has allocated $250,000 to implement the policy, which is yet to be costed by Treasury.

The Premier Will Hodgman says staff will not be forced to move but is giving assurances there'll be no sackings.

"We are confident that we can re-establish this unit in Burnie, in the epicentre of the mining industry and close to stakeholders so that it can respond to their needs and their demands and ensure that those who are not keen to make the move can be redeployed usefully in other areas," said Mr Hodgman.

The President of the Minerals Council, Wayne Bould, hopes the move will re-invigorate the region.

"It makes a lot of sense to pout a government department in the area where most of the activity is occurring and I'm damn sure that they can talk to people in Hobart as easily as I can talk to people in Hobart without driving up and down the road," said Mr Bould.

Free trade is the oldest argument in federal politics and the issue that literally defined the federation era but opposition exists to the TPP, courtesy of the Investor-State Dispute Resolutions clause.